Older Brother
by SonYukiGoku'sSister
Summary: Oct 4th... Goku's strange behaviour triggers worry in Hakkai and Gojyo? What had happened? Brother Gojyo


Chapter 1

"Sanzo," said Goku, suddenly, "What?" was the reply. "It's October fourth," said Goku, "So?" said Sanzo. Goku looked sad. "Never mind," he muttered and started coughing, not as badly as the day before. "I see your cold is getting better," Hakkai chuckled from the driver's seat.

Suddenly, he stopped.

Fortunately, everyone braced themselves this time and saw the _red light_ that Hakkai pulled a halt to. "Man, don't these guys ever know when to quite?" asked Gojyo. "At least we're doing them a favour," said Goku darkly.

Hakkai lifted an eyebrow at this. "What favour might that be, minna-san?"

"They'll die fighting for what they believe in," replied Goku in the same dark voice. Hethen leapt oute of the jeep into the heat of the battle with such inferno that it took his friends several seconds before they joined him.

* * *

"Well," said Hakkai, looking at the empty land in front of him which were full of crazed youkai earlier, "That's taken care of." "Ch," muttered Sanzo, "Let's just get going already." Goku glared at Sanzo's back which mercifully went unnoticed by his guardian. A sudden pain splashed through his hand.

"Ow!" he shouted, dropping his staff. Goku clutched his hand, his face etched with pain.

"Goku," said Hakkai, hurrying over with Gojyo, "Are you alright?" Goku hastily covered his hand and looked away, "It's just a scratch," he muttered. Gojyo shook his head and yanked Goku's hand into view, "Darn it, you pervert!" barked Goku, "That hurts!" Gojyo pretended not to hear and gave a wily smile, "Yeah? Well, it'll hurt a lot more unless you get Hakkai to heal it." Hakkai and Sanzo could see that Gojyo was right. The cut on Goku's hand was bleeding. Goku glared at Gojyo, but reluctantly let Hakkai heal it.

For the rest of the day, Goku sat quietly behind and brooded –except for his coughs. Perturbed by the monkey's silence, Gojyo snapped, "If you don't want our help next time you get injured, fine! We'll let you heal on your own!" "I wasn't even thinking of that," replied Goku, he turned to the driver, "Thanks for healing my hand, Hakkai," Hakkai smiled, "It's no problem, Goku." Goku gave him a tight smile, and continued brooding. He coughed again, this time Sanzo turned around and said, "Get some sleep or I'll make it permanent." Without looking at his guardian, Goku obeyed.

Suddenly, Hakkai pressed on the break, causing Goku to fall off from the jeep at the sudden impact. "I'm sorry Goku," Hakkai apologised, "Are you alright?" Instead of replying, Goku asked irritably, "Am I to guess we are having a royal visitor in exception of a certain feline?"

Hakkai and Sanzo looked at each and ducked.

"Uh oh," said Gojyo. Getting the message, he ducked as well. Goku jumped out of the way before a fireball could hit him. Hakkai and Gojyo winced. "You finally dared to say it, didn't you?" said a charismatic voice. "I'm not in the mood to play games with you, _highness_," Goku replied, emphasizing the last word.

Kougaiji did not move. Obviously, he saw the difference in Goku's behaviour. He sent a punch at Goku while Dokugakuji started to fight with his younger brother and Yaone with Hakkai. Sanzo just stood aside with Hakuryu, observing the fight. There was no annoying feline to disturb him. He noticed Goku was not attacking, neither was he using his staff. He was only trying to get as far from Kougaiji as he could, dodging his attacks.

"Why aren't you fighting?" demanded Kougaiji after awhile, "I thought you wanted to protect Sanzo." Goku's face darkened. "Protect Sanzo?" he said, slowly in a voice he had never used before. Sanzo's eyebrow twitched; he did not like the sound of Goku's voice. Goku punched the prince, hard. He sent Kougaiji flying to a tree. "Idiot!" he shouted. His voice echoed among the trees. The rest of both parties stopped their fighting and stared at Goku.

"Why don't you just leave us alone? Don't you have a sister who needs your protection?" shouted Goku; he looked as if he was ready to cry. He turned and ran to the woods. Kougaiji sat where he was, surprised at Goku's reaction. "What the heck was that?" asked Dokugakuji, "It's obviously has something to do with the past and it happened today, October fourth," said his brother.

Kougaiji had heard them and said, "Did I wake up an unpleasant memory?" "I'm afraid you did, Kougaiji," said Hakkai, "Whatever it is, it's only between him and Sanzo," "Only problem is our worldly monk has got amnesia," joked Gojyo. A bullet went past his ear. "Should we help?" Yaone asked. Hakkai considered it then shook his head, "Not if you want your head get bitten off by Goku." The unsaid message behind the reply was sharp enough to even make Sanzo wince.

"We'll retreat for today, then," said Kougaiji, "We'll be back next week, and reward him for the punch," implying he was concerned as they are.

"What's gotten into the monkey?" said Gojyo while they were looking for their youngest companion. Hakkai shrugged, "Sanzo?" "How should I know?" the monk replied, "I hear his voice, not read his mind." There something about Sanzo's voice that showed he was trying to remember something.

They found Goku, moping near the edge of the forest. They could see a nearby town. Sanzo whacked Goku on the head with the infamous paper fan. Hakkai, for once, hoped Goku would react to it. But all Goku did was rub his head and gave Sanzo with an angry look.

He remained hostile to everyone for the rest of the journey. Once Gojyo tried to tease him but stopped when Goku shouted, "URASAI! ERO KAPPA!" in a most terrifying voice which no one knew he was capable of.

They found an inn. It had only two sharing rooms. "Goku," said Hakkai, carefully, "Would it be alright if you share room with Gojyo?" "Sure," said Goku, not looking at his friend. Goku's hostility towards his guardian continued for the rest of the afternoon. Luckily for him it rained, it was Sanzo's turn to be hostile.

Goku did not eat that night. He mumbled something to Hakkai about not being hungry and went to bed early. Gojyo tried to joke, but a pained look from Hakkai told him not to. Later, Gojyo was about to walk in when he heard sobs emitting from inside of the room. Deciding it was best to leave the monkey alone, Gojyo went to the next room and played cards with Hakkai, then later went back to check on Goku.

Goku lay on the floor in a fettle position, looking sad and disappointed. Gojyo shook his head. What could October fourth have brought to make the monkey moody? Gojyo then saw something in Goku's hand. It was a photograph, showing a younger Goku, smiling. There was a boy beside him, with an arm around Goku. An older boy, with black hair and spectacled grey eyes was wearing a trainee's robe. He, too, was smiling. In Goku's other hand was a crudely made doll.

By Goku's even breathing and closed eyes, Gojyo could tell that the boy was asleep. He gently took the photo out of the boy's hands and put it on the table in their bedroom. He then lifted Goku gently to put him onto his bed. As if he felt Gojyo's embrace, Goku whimpered, and sobbed, "Br... Brother..."

Goku clung to Gojyo like a monkey. He sobbed into Gojyo's shirt. Gojyo did not know what to do. He knew Hakkai would go all mother hen and fuss over Goku, and, despite his gentleness, could make things worse. He put Goku on his bed, but Goku would not let go. "Brother, I'm scared. Brother, don't go..." Gojyo hugged Goku as the boy began to cough again and said, "I'm not going anywhere. It's okay, little brother, nothing's here to hurt you..." he tried to sound comforting, and it must have worked as Goku's grip loosened.

Eventually, Goku quieted. Gojyo had not realised until then what a cute sleeping face Goku had. Putting the blanket over Goku, Gojyo wondered if the spectacled boy had anything to do with Goku's behaviour that day. Gojyo wondered if the boy had hurt Goku in any way.

He had questions for Sanzo. He wanted to make sure Goku would be alright. He took the picture he had laid on the table and went to the next room. "Maybe this might freshen up your memory," Gojyo said to Sanzo giving him the photo. Sanzo looked at the picture and growled, "Darn it, how could I forget?"

Hakkai peered over and looked confused. How could Sanzo forget what?

"So, who's the boy?" asked Gojyo.

"Goku's older brother..." Sanzo murmured. "What?" both Gojyo and Hakkai exclaimed. "His somewhat adopted brother," Sanzo explained. "Is today his birthday?" asked Hakkai.

"No," Sanzo sighed heavily, much the surprise of his grown-up companions. "Death-day," he paused for a moment, "Goku never really forgave himself of what happened." "What? What happened?" Hakkai urged, if there was anything he could not withstand, it would be seeing Goku cry. He knew whatever happened to or with the bespectacled boy had wounded Goku very deeply. "What happened?"

"Douga, the boy, died the same way my master did. He was the only trainee who was kind to Goku..."

'It was about a few months after I found Goku. A young trainee was placed under me. The first time I saw him, he had bruises and scars almost everywhere. He was an orphan, so others bullied him. Goku was at my side in the office that day. He thought Goku was my disciple, and found the monkey very cute. He seems to see Goku as a kid, not a monster. Often, he volunteered to be Goku's babysitter. He was the one who convinced me just how human Goku is.

'One day, while I was away, an accident occured, nearly killing one of the monks. Because Goku crumbled a wall with one fist the first time his diadem broke, everyone suspected it was him. Douga tried to defend then. But at the time, nobody really knew how sick Douga was.

'"He's just a kid," said Douga, wrapping an arm around Goku, "That's no excuse, Douga, you can't keep protecting him in your condition."

'"But he will learn," Douga admonished.

'"Never, he's of filthy birth. You can see it in his eyes,"

'"That's not his fault," Douga snapped, losing his patience, "Because of that, you never gave him a chance,"

'"Douga, look at him!" Yan said, "He's a heretic. And he'll never be one of us!"

'"Yan..." Goku pushed his Douga's arm away and ran, "Goku!" Douga called and went looking for him. Douga found the monkey in the isolated shed where I kept him the first few days there. Of course, that was before I decided to let him stay. Douga did not find him until after it rained later that evening. Goku was drenched and slightly muddy. Douga tried to bring him out, but Goku was too stubborn. So Douga went inside the shed and began drying Goku, without permission.

"Why are you doing this?" Goku asked, trying to push away from the towel. "You're wet, and could catch a cold if you're not dry," Douga chuckled. "But, Yan said..." began Goku. "Hold it," Douga said, rubbing Goku's hair. Goku pushed the towel of his head. "Yan said I don't belong here," snapped Goku, "Never mind what Yan said," Douga said gently, "Now, will you hold still."

'Goku squirmed out of his grasp, "Look at me!" he yelled. Douga sighed, "I am looking, Goku. And do you know what I see?" "What?" said Goku, still sulking, "I see two eyes, like I have," Douga continued, "And a nose somewhere... oh, there," tickled Goku's nose. Goku giggled. Douga then ruffled Goku's hair, "A head full of hair." Douga rubbed his chin as if he was thinking, "Let's see, what else?" Goku lifted his hands and jumped, "Hands and feet?" "That's right," said Douga. He started coughing and had to sit down, "Onii-chan, are you okay?" asked Goku, worried.

'Douga smiled, "I'm fine, otouto-san, don't worry about me." Goku looked at him with concerned eyes. "I'm in for bed," Douga finally said. He held out his hand to Goku, "You?" Goku took his hand and they found their way back to their rooms. From then they were brothers.

'Those few months were happy months for the both of them. Even after I returned. It was satisfying to see Goku having someone else to look up to, not that I mind. Tell the chimp this, I'll kill you.

Hakkai and Gojyo nodded. They kept quiet then, urging the monk to continue.

'Then, one night, Douga was sick. Goku was concerned. He went back to his room to to make a get-well card. And fell asleep doing it. I was in my office, dealing with a lot of paper work.

'Later, that night I heard footsteps. I knew Goku went to look for Douga.

'I felt something was wrong, but when I got there it was too late... Bandits attacked the temple.

Sanzo heaved another heavy sigh. It was a sigh of regret, Gojyo narrowed his eyes, what ever happened next had been playing in Sanzo's mind for quite sometime.

'I did not know what happened. I knew there were bandits looking for me, so I steadied. As the others helped to fight the bandits. The next I heard was Goku screaming. I ran to the place and found them. Without a doubt, Douga had traded his life for Goku's. His blood spattered everywhere. Goku sat where he was, tears came from his eyes as he stared at the blood on his hands that was Douga's.

Sanzo paused for a long moment. Gojyo and Hakkai had much to think about. They had always thought Goku to be innocent and happy, but he was really a said little boy. But they could not see a hint of sadness in their monkey's eyes, so why...?

'We cremated Douga's body a few days later. Goku didn't join me at the funeral, but I could see him hiding in the trees watching Douga's body burn to ashes.

'There was nothing I could do. Goku was silent for weeks on end. Often I had to remind him to eat. He became very thin. I could almost swear I saw not just his ribs, but every other bone in his body pressing through his skin. He would not let me see it, but he cried. I knew then, how much having a family meant to him -that was the only thing he wanted. I nearly gave in when I tried everything I could think of, but then you two came along.

'When I was asked to search for Hakkai, he was the same as before; but there was still a trace of sadness in his eyes. I don't know what happened, either he saw how others treated him or he finally pulled himself together and faced reality.'

"It's no wonder he's angry with me," finished Sanzo, "He knows I don't forget things like that,"

"He'll be okay within the week, you'll see." Hakkai and Gojyo were not so certain.

Author's note: I know this has a spoiler from Tarzan, but I could not think of anything else. Hey, it makes kids laugh. Try it.


End file.
